South Asia comprises the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan,and Sri Lanka. The region has been the cradle of several great civilizations and is today home to about 1.89 billion people, more than one-fifth of the world’s population. The region covers an area of approximately 42,916,000 km2, same as that of the continental United States but with four times the population, it is already one of the most densely settled regions of the world.
South Asia is bordered in the south by the Indian Ocean, in the South-east by Bay of Bengal and in the South-west by the Arabian Sea. Occupying a major portion of the Indo-Malayan realm and a smaller portion of the Palaearctic realm, this region is representative of five of the fourteen major ecological regions called biomes, which demonstrate the biodiversity and vegetation patterns of the region as determined by climate, water, geology, soil and diverse topography. South Asia’s topography consists of an amazing variety of mountains, plateaus, dry regions, intervening structural basins, beaches, etc. It varies from world highest point, the Mount Everest to the world lowest, the sea beach.
| Record | South Asia | World |
| Human Development Trend | ||
| Life expectance at birth (years) 2005 | 63.8 | 68.1 |
| Adult literacy rate ( % age 15 and above, 2005) | 59.5 | 78.6 |
| GDP per capita (PPP US$ 2005) | 3,416 | 9,543 |
| Human development index ( HDI) value 2005 | 0.611 | 0.743 |
| Demographic Trends | ||
| Total population (millions) 2005 | 1,587.4T | 6,514.8T |
| Annual population growth rate 2005 – 15 | 1.5 | 1.1 |
| Urban population (% of total) 2005 | 30.2 | 48.6 |
| Population under age 15 (% of total) 2005 | 33.6 | 28.3 |
| Population age 65 and above (% of total) 2005 | 4.7 | 7.3 |
| Total fertility rate (births per women) 2000 – 05 | 3.2 | 2.6 |
| Water Sanitation and Nutritional Status | ||
| Population using improved sanitation (%) 1990 | 18 | 49 |
| Population using improved sanitation (%) 2004 | 37 | 59 |
| Population under nourished ( % of total population) 1990/92 | 25 | 20 |
| Population under nourished (% of total population) 2000/2004 | 21 | 17 |
| Population using an improved water source (%) 1990 | 72 | 78 |
| Population using an improved water source (%) 2004 | 85 | 83 |
| Energy and the Environment | ||
| Electricity consumption per capita (kilowatt-hours, 2004) | 628 | 2,701 |
| Electricity consumption per capita (% change) 1990 – 2004 | – | – |
| Electrification rate (%) 2000 – 2005 | – | 76 |
| Population without electricity (millions) 2005 | – | 1,577.0 |
| Forest area (% of total land area) 2005 | 14.2 | 30.3 |
| Total forest area (thousand sq km) 2005 | 911.8 | 39,520.3 |
| Forest area – total change (thousand sq km) 1990 – 2005 | 12.5 | -1,252.7 |
| Forest area – average annual change (%) 1990 – 2005 | 0.1 | -0.2 |
| Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Stocks | ||
| Total carbon dioxide emissions (Mt CO2) 1990 | 990.7T | 22,702.5T |
| Total carbon dioxide emissions (Mt CO2) 2004 | 1,954.6T | 28,982.7T |
| Annual change of carbon dioxide emissions (%) 1990 – 2004 | 7.0 | 2.0 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions – share of world total (%) 1990 | 4.4 | 100.0 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions – share of world total (%) 2004 | 6.7 | 100.0 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions per capita (t CO2) 1990 | 0.8 | 4.3 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions per capita (t CO2) 2004 | 1.3 | 4.5 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from forest biomass (Mt CO2/year) 1990 – 2005 | -49.3 | 4,038.1 |
| Carbon stocks in forest biomass (Mt carbon) | 3,843.5 | 282,650.1 |
Source: UNDP Human Development Report, 2007/2008
| Framework law | Vision Document | Policy Institution | Executing Agency | Apex National Council | |
|
Afghanistan |
Ministry of Planning |
Various Departments |
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| Bangladesh |
Environment Conservation Act, 1995 |
National Conservation Strategy |
Ministry of Environment & Forests |
Department of Environment |
National Environment Committee |
| Bhutan |
National Environment Strategy for Bhutan – “The middle path” 1998 |
National Environment Commission |
National Environment Commission Secretariat |
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| India |
Environment Protection Act, 1986 |
National Conservation Strategy and National Policy on Pollution Abatement, 1992 Environmental Action Plan, 1993 |
Ministry of Environment & Forests |
Central Pollution Control Board and State Departments |
|
| Maldives |
Environment Protection Preservation Act, 1993 |
National Environment Action Plan 1999-2005 |
Ministry of Planning, Human Resources and Environment |
Environment Division /MPHRE |
National Commission for the Protection of Environment (NCPEC) |
| Nepal |
Environment Protection Act, 1997 |
National Environment Policy & Action Plan 1993 |
Ministry of Population & Environment |
Environment Protection Council |
|
| Pakistan |
Environmental Protection Act, 1996 |
National Conservation Strategy,1992 |
Ministry of Environment, Local Government and Rural Development |
Environmental Protection Council together with Federal/Provincial Environmental Protection Agencies |
Environment Protection Council |
| Sri Lanka |
National Environment Act, 1980 (amended in 1988 & 2000) |
National Environment Action Plan; 1998-2001 |
Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources |
Central Environment Authority |
International Commitment for Environmental Protection: Status of participation in major environmental conventions and other agreements
UN Conventions
Convention |
Country Status |
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|
Afghanistan |
B’desh |
Bhutan |
India |
Maldives |
Nepal |
Pakistan |
Sri Lanka |
|
|
Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage |
20/03/79 (2) |
03/08/83 (3) |
06/07/89 (3) |
15/04/77 (3) |
23/07/76 (2) |
04/05/82 (3) |
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|
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) |
30/10/85 (3) 28/01/86 (6) |
20/11/81 (2) 18/02/82 (6) |
15/08/2002 (2) 13/11/2002 (6) |
20/07/76 (2) 18/10/76 (6) |
18/06/75 (3) 16/09/75 (6) |
20/04/76 (3) 19/07/76 (6) |
04/05/79 (3) 07/08/79 (6) |
|
|
Convention on the Law of the Sea |
10/12/82 (1) |
10/12/82 (1) 26/06/96 (2) |
10/12/82 (1) |
10/12/82 (1) 26/02/97 (2) |
10/12/82 (1) 19/07/94 (2) |
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Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Biosafety Protocol (103) |
12/06/92 (1) |
05/06/92 (1) 03/05/94 (2) |
11/06/92 (1) 25/08/95 (2) |
05/06/92 (1) 18/02/94 (2) 23/01/01 (1) |
12/06/92 (1) 9/11/92 (2) |
12/06/92 (1) 23/11/93 (2) 02/03/01 (1) |
25/06/92 (1) 26/07/94 (2) 04/06/01 (1) |
10/06/92 (1) 23/03/94 (2) 24/05/01 |
|
Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) Agreements |
01/11/83 (6) MoU on Siberian Crane |
01/12/87 (6) MoU on Siberian Crane |
01/09/90 (6) MoU on Marine Turtles |
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|
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands |
21/09/92 (6) |
01/02/82 (6) |
17/04/88 (6) |
23/11/76 (6) |
15/10/90 (6) |
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| Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) |
01/11/95 (3) |
14/10/94 (1) 26/10/96 (2) 26/12/96 (6) |
14/10/94 (1) 17/12/96 (2) 17/03/97 (6) |
12/10/95 (1) 15/10/96 (2) 13/01/97 (6) |
15/10/94 (1) 24/02/97 (2) 25/05/97 (6) |
09/12/98 (2) 09/03/99 (6) |
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|
Basal Convention
Ban Amendment (24)
|
01/04/93 (3) |
24/06/92 (2) |
28/04/92 (3) |
15/10/96 (3) |
26/07/94 (3) |
28/08/92 (3) 29/01/99 (2) |
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|
Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC)
|
15/04/94 |
25/08/95 |
01/11/93 (2) |
09/11/92 (2) |
02/05/94 |
01/06/94 |
23/11/93 (2) |
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Kyoto Protocol (84)
|
16/03/98 (1) 30/12/98 (3) |
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Status of Ratification on the Protection of the Statospheric Ozone layer |
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| Vienna Convention | 02/08/90 (3) | 19/03/91 (3) | 12/07/88 (1) | 06/07/94 (3) | 18/12/92 (3) | 15/02/89 (3) | ||
| Montreal Protocol | 02/08/90 (3) | 19/06/92 (3) | 16/05/89 (2) | 06/07/94 (3) | 18/12/92 (3) | 15/02/89 (3) | ||
| London Amendment | 08/03/94 (2) | 19/06/92 (3) | 31/07/91 (2) | 06/07/94 (3) | 18/12/92 (3) | 16/06/93 (3) | ||
| Copenhagen Amendment | 27/11/00 (At) | 17/02/95 (2) | 07/07/97 (3) | |||||
| Montreal Amendment | 27/07/01 (At) | 02/08/99 (3) | ||||||
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The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade |
09/09/99 (1) |
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A monsoon climate, characterised by wet summers and dry winters, generally prevails over South Asia. The south-west monsoons (late May to October) bring the maximum rainfall, followed by the north-east monsoons. Precipitation and climate vary significantly from place to place in different countries within the region due to the variations in land forms. Rainfall ranges from 200 mm in the desert areas of the north-west to 4000 mm in the higher Himalayas of Bhutan. The climate also varies from the semi-arid in Pakistan to the tropical monsoon and hot-dry, humid-dry in the rest of the region. The region’s temperature varies ranging from as law as -20 °C in the cold desert to a scorching 48 °C desert areas in some plains.
Some of the world’s largest river systems are in the South Asia. The Indus river originates in China and flows to Pakistan. The Ganga-Brahmaputtra river systems originate partly in China, Nepal and Bhutan, and flow to India and Bangladesh. The Indus river is one of the world’s greatest, measuring 2,800 km from its source to sea. The Ganga stretches to about 2,525 km, and the brahmaputtra, the third great Himalayan river, stretches about 2, 900 km flowing through Tibet, India and Bangladesh. There are many other minor rivers originate from great Himalayan drain into Bangladesh through Nepal and India. There are 103 rivers draining in a radial pattern from central highland of Sri Lanka. The Ganga, Brahmaputtra and Meghna are the major rivers in Bangladesh. The rivers in Bhutan are the Jadalkha, Torsa, Raidak, Sankosh, Mao Khola/Aie, and the Manas. Maldives does not have any rivers.
The diversity in the latitude, altitude, climate and topography has resulted in a variety of vegetation in the region, ranging from the temperate and the tropical to the desert vegetation. About 18.6 percent of the total land area of the region still under the forest cover and it account for 2.73 percent of the total forest area in the world. About 5 percent of the region’s land area is being under protection.
South Asia houses approximately 15.5 and 12 percent of the world’s flora and fauna respectively. The faunal diversity of the region comprises of 933 species of mammals, 4,494 birds, 923 reptiles, 332 amphibians and 342 freshwater fishes. The floral diversity accounts for 39,875 species of flowering plants, 66 conifers and cycads, 764 ferns and 6,652 higher plants.
(1) = Date of Signature
(2) = Date of Ratification
(3) = Date of Accession
(4) = Date of Acceptance
(5) = Date of Approval
(6) = Date of Entry in to Force
Other UN Agreements
Regional Seas Programme
The Regional Seas Programme was established by UNEP in 1974 as a global programme, implemented through regional components, for the control of marine pollution and the management of marine and coastal resources.
The programme currently includes 14 functional regions with the participation of over 140 coastal states and territories. In addition there are 3 partner programmes, which is not included in UNEP’s Regional Seas framework.
UNEP works with the concerned governments in the preparation of a Regional Action Plan and each plan is formulated according to the needs of the region as perceived by the states. The Plan outlines activities related to Environmental Assessment, Management, Legislation, Institutional and Financial arrangements.
The South Asian Seas Action Plan, which was adopted in 1995 by the five maritime nations of the South Asian region, is part of this and activities undertaken under the Action Plan is given in project and programmes .
Global Programme of Action for the Protection of Marine Environment from Land-based Activities
In November 1995, at an Intergovernmental Meeting held in Washington DC , 108 Governments declared their commitment to protect and preserve the marine environment from the harmful effects of land-based activities. The GPA’s main purpose is to identify the sources of land-based pollution or harmful activities and to prepare regional, sub-regional and national priority action programmes on measures to reduce and alleviate them. This is in accordance with Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982, which came into force in November 1994.
In the Washington Declaration, the governments declared their intention to co-operate on a regional basis to coordinate GPA implementation efforts. UNEPs Regional Seas Programme has been identified as an appropriate framework for facilitating implementation of the GPA, especially with regard to developing countries and Small Island Developing States. In this context, seven technical workshops of government-designated experts were convened by UNEP, during the period 1996-1998, to identify regional priorities and to develop regional programmes of action.
International Maritime Conventions
Regional Agreements
Malé Declaration on Control and Prevention of Air Pollution and Its Likely Transboundary Effects for South Asia
The Colombo Declaration on the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP)
